The value of the UK screen industry increased by 5.4% to £13.3bn in 2025, with streaming more than compensating for the decline in traditional pay TV value, according to DEGI research. Cinema is also reportedly continuing to grow back to its pre-pandemic levels.
The British Association for Screen Entertainment and Digital Entertainment Group International (DEGI) report found that the value of the home entertainment market in the UK rose by 10% year-on-year to an all-time high of £5.7bn, which includes streaming, buying, and renting films and TV shows.
In total, 20.3 million UK households are subscribed to at least one streaming service, which is an increase of nearly half a million year-on-year.
Netflix led the UK market with 17.6 million home subscriptions, followed by Amazon Prime Video with 13.6 million and Disney+ with 7.5 million.
There was also notable market percentage growth for: Discovery, which grew to 3.2 million home subscriptions; Apple TV, which grew to 2.8 million home subscriptions; and Now, which grew to 2 million home subscriptions.
Overall, the UK reached 23 million ad-supported subscriptions by Q3 2025, meaning 53% of all SVOD subscriptions are now ad-supported.
One third of new UK SVOD subscriptions are now ‘bundled’; taken through partner platforms including traditional Pay TV, broadband and mobile network providers, and online channel platforms such as Amazon Channels, Apple Channels, and YouTube Primetime Channels.
The launch of HBO Max in the UK in 2026 and the return of fan favourites, such as Friends, to UK SVOD audiences are predicted to drive more changes in the market.
Finally, Universal Pictures was found to be the largest theatrical distributor in the UK in 2025, and the UK’s largest home entertainment distributor with a 17.8% market share, followed closely by Warner Home Video (17%).
The global media and entertainment (M&E) industry was recently forecast to hit $3.5tn in revenues in 2029 as advertising spend surges across platforms, according to PwC’s Annual Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2025-29. Discover more here.
.jpg)
Tim Davie on “national asset” BBC World Service: “We should be doubling the funding”
The BBC World Service is a “UK national asset”, “important to its national defence and reputation”, for which the government "should be doubling the funding”, according to the organisation’s outgoing Director General, Tim Davie.
Canal+ launches AI-powered content search with OpenAI
To enable users to find content through natural language queries, the Canal+ app will roll out a search function powered by OpenAI technology in June 2026.
Documentary Film Council appoints Mandy Chang as CEO
The UK’s Documentary Film Council has named Mandy Chang as its first Chief Executive.
Head of Eurovision broadcaster ORF resigns
The Director General of Austrian national broadcaster ORF has resigned over allegations of sexual harassment, two months before the network is due to host the Eurovision Song Contest.
Sound body AMPS calls out impact of noisy LED film lighting
The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) has called on manufacturers and productions to consider the impact of noisy high-output LED film lighting on capturing performance on set.
